The doorway pulsed ahead of me, its crimson light a menacing contrast to the bleak void.

My body screamed for rest, but the pressure in the air made it clear, there would be no reprieve.

Whatever is ahead was the reason this stage felt so heavy.

I stepped through, and the change in the atmosphere was immediate.

The arena was massive, an open battlefield surrounded by jagged cliffs.

The ground beneath my feet was dark and metallic, reflecting the dim glow of the red sky above.

In the center of the space stood a towering figure.

A nightmare made flesh.

The creature was at least fifteen feet tall, its massive body wrapped in a grotesque mixture of blackened armor and pulsating veins that glowed a fiery orange.

Its head bore two massive, curling horns, and in its hand was a weapon that seemed to embody destruction itself, a battle axe that radiated an intense heat, the edges flickering with embers.

It turned toward me, and its glowing eyes locked onto mine.

The pressure in the air became suffocating.

[Ding!]

[Stage Five Initiated: Eliminate The Lord Of Destruction.]

The creature let out a roar that shook the ground, a primal declaration of power.

It charged at me, each step causing the ground to quake.

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I didn’t think, I reacted.

Raising my hand.

Lightning surged to life, crackling with raw energy as I sent a bolt hurtling toward the creature.

The attack struck its chest, leaving a scorched mark on its armor.

It didn’t even flinch.

The creature’s massive axe swung toward me with terrifying speed.

I dodged, barely escaping the arc of destruction as the blade crashed into the ground.

The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the arena, and shards of metallic earth flew in every direction.

I stumbled back.

“Fine. You want a monster?” I whispered, raising both hands toward the sky. “Then let’s see how much destruction I can bring.”

Electricity crackled around me, the air growing heavy with energy as I pulled from the endless well inside me.

I wasn’t going to fight this creature.

I was going to obliterate it.

With a roar of my own, I unleashed everything.

Lightning rained down from above, bolts of pure energy crashing into the arena with devastating force.

Each strike illuminated the battlefield in blinding flashes, the sound deafening as the power of the storm overwhelmed everything.

The creature roared in defiance, raising its axe to block the incoming bolts. But it was futile.

The lightning tore through its defenses, shattering its armor and exposing the glowing veins beneath.

I didn’t stop.

The storm intensified, bolts of lightning striking in rapid succession.

The ground beneath us cracked and splintered, unable to withstand the sheer power being unleashed.

The creature stumbled, its movements growing sluggish as the relentless onslaught wore it down.

It tried to charge me again, but another bolt struck it square in the chest, sending it crashing to the ground.

Still, I didn’t let up.

The lightning gathered above me, forming a massive sphere of crackling energy that illuminated the entire void.

“This ends now!” I said, releasing the sphere.

The attack struck the creature with the force of a meteor, the explosion consuming it entirely.

The shockwave tore through the arena, leveling the jagged cliffs and leaving nothing but scorched earth in its wake.

When the dust settled, the creature was gone.

The arena was unrecognizable, reduced to a smoldering wasteland.

I stood at the center of the destruction, my body trembling from the sheer amount of energy I had channeled.

[Ding!]

[Stage Five Complete. Proceed to the Next Gate.]

A new doorway materialized ahead of me.

This one glowed with a faint silver light, a stark contrast to the destruction surrounding me.

I took a shaky step forward, my breaths ragged.

The strain on my body was undeniable.

This fight just made me realize just how much power I held.

With one final glance at the ruins of the arena, I stepped toward the doorway.